So the Dallas Morning News says they support Bill White because he’ll roll over for Washington, raise taxes, and increase the size and reach of government. And that’s why Texans will be voting for Rick Perry.
You will recall that back in 2003, with Texas facing a $10 billion budget short-fall, the economic illiterates at the Dallas Morning News said the only way for the state to bridge the gap was through tax hikes. If Gov. Perry and the conservative leadership had followed their recommendation, the Lone Star State would be joining California at bankruptcy court.
Instead, Perry and the conservative team cut spending, found efficiencies, and held the line on taxes. The state’s economy prospered. Say what else you will, Texas is the brightest shining star among the 50 in that field of blue. People are flocking to the state as a land of opportunity. Private-sector job growth is happening here, and not elsewhere, because the right-minded decisions made in 2003 — ignoring the nonsensical tax-and-spend cries of the dinosaur media.
States following the spend-and-tax model preferred by the DMN have seen their jobless rates skyrocket, populations flee, and the people remaining suffer.
It’s a new decade, with a new budget shortfall, and they hope someone will take Texas in their long-sought California-like direction. In Bill White, the editorial boards have found their liberal man.
In endorsing Bill White, the Morning News editorial board said they want a governor who won’t be “doing battle with Washington.” They want a governor who will instead find “new revenue sources” — that is, new taxes.
For once, the Dallas Morning News has it right: Bill White is for taxes. Bill White is for rolling over to whims of President Obama and soon-to-be-former Speaker Pelosi.
He certainly has a record. As mayor of Houston, Bill White left his city in financial ruin, and dealt with immigration by forcing “sanctuary city” status on its people. He made sure cronies got business during a hurricane, and waffled on gun control. Ethically, he still refuses to disclose his taxes, showing just how he made his fortunes rise so quickly after leaving Washington.
Bill White is a bad choice for Texas.
On the other hand, Rick Perry as governor has hit the right stride. He has stood strongly against increasing the state’s tax burden, while promoting full fiscal transparency. he has championed strict spending limits, and actively used zero-based budgeting. He has challenged federal intrusion and heavy-handed mandates. Yes, he has made mistakes. And Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has and will continue to happily (and publicly) challenged him when we disagree.
But far more often than not, Rick Perry has gotten it very right. He has governed Texas with the kind of commonsense conservatism that has made Texas great.
Let’s be clear: Texas isn’t great because Rick Perry is a good governor; Rick Perry is a good governor because he gets government out of the way, letting Texans’ greatness shine.
